Place St. Jacques

Cozy place with many restaurants.

The name of the square is derived from the adjacent church of St. Jacob, which was closed in 1574. A Saint-Jacques fountain was built on the square in front of the collegiate monastery of St. Sauveur (Church of the Redeemer) as early as the 15th century (more precisely: 1498). The fountain was destroyed in 1730 and rebuilt around 1759 on the corner of Rue de Ladoucette and Petit Paris. The stone sculpture of the Apostle James the Elder was destroyed during the Revolution, the remains were later transferred to the Rue du Pont-des-Morts.

In the period from 1832 to 1907, a hall covered the entire square where vegetables and flowers were sold. Every year on December 26th, the employment relationships of dependent employees began and ended and people met on the square to look for work.

Place Saint-Jacques is appreciated for its numerous cafes and restaurants, especially in the open-air season.

The Place St. Jacques is lined with café after café, restaurant after restaurant, and some restaurants, rather unusual for France, serve warm food all day long.